Brazen David Cameron was shot down in flames today for saying it was right to sell arms to Middle East dictators.

On the first day of his controversial money-making tour to the region, the Prime Minister insisted that flogging military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates was “legitimate”.

He made the remarks in Dubai where he launched a major push to sell British-made Typhoon fighter jets.

The comments were slammed by human rights campaigners.

Amnesty International’s Allan Hogarth said: “Saudi Arabia has been the recipient of record-breaking arms deals involving the UK, yet these have been highly secretive and there’s been little or no follow-up over how the weaponry was used.”

Sales pitch: Cameron talks to students (Image: PA)

Amnesty added that in 2009 the Saudis used UK-supplied Tornado fighter-bombers in attacks in Yemen that “killed hundreds – possibly thousands – of civilians”.

Mr Cameron is using his three-day tour to help sell 100 Typhoon jets – worth £6billion to the UK – to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

He said: “We believe countries have a right to defend themselves.

"And we believe Britain has important defence industries that employ over 300,000 people and so that sort of business is completely legitimate and right.”

Mr Cameron had breakfast today with RAF personnel at the Al Minhad airbase in Dubai, which is one of the Emirates.

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He also met Emirates Airlines chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Said al-Maktoum and will have meetings with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s Prime Minister.

Mr Cameron said there were “no no-go areas” when discussing Saudi Arabia’s human rights record but described the country as “a very old ally”.

His visit comes amid trouble in the region including Israel threatening military strikes against Iran.